The Act, 2016

PhotographerJulia Fullerton-Batten

Prize1st Place in Fine Art / Nudes

Entry Description

My project examines the lives of female sex workers, women who choose to earn their living by exploiting their bodies.
The role of the sex industry in today’s society and sex-worker rights have been heavily debated and disputed in recent years. Many feminists believe that sex work should be abolished, others on the other hand claim it as a contribution to a woman’s freedom of choice as to the work she engages in. Some countries have made large-scale changes to prostitution and sex-work laws. Sex workers in many countries have organized themselves into trade unions to advocate for their rights and protection.
I interviewed 15 women for the project. During my meetings with them I sense that they tend to live their entire working lives on a stage. They are women who are proud of their bodies and choose to use their bodies in order to create an income.